Structural Engineering and Geomechanics

The Structural Engineering and Geomechanics (SEG) program encompasses teaching and research programs in structural design and analysis, structural materials, earthquake engineering and structural dynamics, advanced sensing and structural health monitoring, risk and reliability analysis, computational science and engineering, and geotechnical engineering including geomechanics. The SEG programs prepare students for industrial or academic careers. Students can balance engineering fundamentals with modern computational and experimental methods to customize programs to launch careers as consultants on large and small projects, designers, and engineering analysts.

Structural design and analysis focuses on the conceptual design of structural systems and on computational methods for predicting the static and dynamic, linear and nonlinear responses of structures. Structural materials research and teaching focuses on the design and analysis of high-performance materials and materials targeting a reduced environmental impact.

Earthquake engineering and structural dynamics addresses earthquake phenomena, ground shaking, and the behavior, analysis, and design of structures under seismic and other dynamic forces. The John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center conducts advanced analytical and experimental research in earthquake engineering and houses static and dynamic testing equipment including two shaking tables. Reliability and risk analysis focuses on advanced methods for structural safety evaluation and design, including methods for loss estimation from damage and failures of structures and lifeline systems. Computational science and engineering emphasizes the application of modern computing methods to structural engineering and geomechanics and encompasses numerical, structural, and geotechnical analysis, including finite element analysis and boundary element methods. The geomechanics program focuses on the application of the principles of applied mechanics to problems involving geologic materials and includes theoretical soil and rock mechanics, computational methods, and analysis and design of foundations and earth structures.